Harmony µDAC

With my newly released LAiV Harmony uDAC (micro version), out-of-the-box, bass, midrange, and soundstage bandwidth and holographic presentations are Stunningly Phenomenal, but felt the treble region was too laid-back. Weng Fai has stated, "As for the break-in period, yes, like the Harmony DAC, the µDAC benefits from extended playback. While it already performs well out of the box, you can expect further refinement in treble detail, clarity, and overall tonal balance as it reaches the 200–300-hour mark. With revealing tweeters like your RAAL ribbons, those nuances will surely shine through as the unit settles in."

Weng also stated that "powered-on time" can contribute to the overall break-in sonic changes of the class-A output circuits! Weng's comments rang out in Stellar high-fidelity truth!! Have now achieved over 250 hours (200 hrs. powered on/50 hrs. playing music) of break-in time. This past week, a 5-hour listening session provided the treble bloom that I knew my system was capable of and has blended perfectly in matching the full sonic prowess of bass and treble! Soundstage/musician placements/room energy/imaging/air/transients'/ speed/details/openness/realism/inky blackness/harmonics/micro-macro dynamics/overtones/attacks-decays and warmth-richness of the music have all been upgraded! Simply put, there is not one aspect of music reproduction presentation that hasn't been impeccably improved in my music room!

IF I had to point to the most singular sonic improvement, it would have to be the Midrange. Vocals are sweet, lush, warm and Very Inviting. So much so, that my center Sweet Spot has expanded out much wider than ever before. My eldest son dropped in for a listen and after a couple of hours of watching him smiling, eyes wandering, shaking his head, foot tapping, and swaying to various musical rhythms, I noticed that sitting 4ft right of the sweet spot, "I" was easily perceiving a full, balanced, and proper soundstage, including depth, width, and height well outside of the left Tower. I never had this full sonic detail and expanded holographic experience before in my dedicated 2.1 stereo music playback! Now, every genre/CD/cut reemerges with new clarity of diction and understanding of the musician's/recording engineer's intent. Music is Complete...I Am There in the Recorded Venues!!

IMHO, feel my 25 years in private music study, degree, performance, and teaching "acoustical music" assist in validating my audio perceptual experiences! Ted

Since 1988, have enjoyed the digital format with the Philips CD880 44.1/16bit TDA 1541A-S1 4x oversampling venerable chip set. Recently, stepped up to Wiim Ultra (pre-dac-streamer) with a built-in ES9038 Q2M SABRE DAC. The CD880 player then became a CD transport (using toslink output) and sonics/soundstage/clarity became much improved!

Last week, received the LAiV Harmony uDAC. Arrived within 1 week of ordering...packing quality and unit build are just Superb! A quick and easy installation had music playing from the Wiim's digital coaxial input...WOW! I though my synergistic system/music room disappeared very well before, but now it stepped up to another whole level of realism!

Weng Fai informed me that the "OS menu selection" (16X over sampling) raised PCM 44.1 to 705.6 kHz, and PCM 48 to 768 kHz...Amazing! I then switched from the Coax to the USB input and had another Audio Epiphany...I AM THERE in the recorded venue. Soundstage width, depth, and height expanded while maintaining precise placement of musicians, vocalist, and instruments. Perspective size and ambient air/presence of the ensemble individuals became even more natural and lifelike. I am hearing more details in the music, with even better separation of harmonics, resonances, and venue ambiances. Overall presentation is more relaxed, providing longer listening sessions that never strain or fatigue my emotional involvement! Bottom line, it Is Not going back!!!

My audio journey has spanned 48 years…believe “I Have Arrived”! Ted

Adding the Laiv Harmony µDAC and µDDR to my system has completely transformed my digital listening experience. I feed a Bluesound Node X into the µDDR via USB, and from there send I²S over HDMI to the µDAC. Both are powered with LHY linear power supplies (5V and 15V), though even with the stock setup, performance is excellent.

Build quality is solid and elegant, with clean displays and intuitive controls. Setup was seamless—plug and play, with no handshake issues or fuss.

Sonically, the Laiv stack is astonishingly balanced. It delivers high resolution without harshness, warmth without bloat, and a soundstage that is wide, deep, and precisely layered. The µDAC’s R-2R architecture imparts an organic sense of tone and texture that makes instruments and vocals sound lifelike and grounded.

The real hero, though, is the µDDR. Feeding USB from the Node X directly to a DAC sounds good—but inserting the µDDR unlocks greater clarity, better timing, and a more coherent musical presentation. The music flows with natural rhythm and spatial realism. The I²S connection is clearly the best path in my setup.

The stack has been 100% stable, integrates easily, and never draws attention to itself—except through the music it reveals.

If you’re running a USB source like the Node X and want to unlock its full potential, the Laiv Harmony µDAC and µDDR are an outstanding upgrade. They don’t just improve the sound—they deepen your connection to the music.

—Jeremy S.

Digital Chain: Bluesound Node X → USB → µDDR → I²S → µDAC

Power: LHY LPS25VA